Ha, yes you’re right. I was seeing things. But you have to understand, Barnaby, you are a guru for many of us

On the Powell argument, I think many on the left have consistantly misrepresented what Powell prophesised. He was merely saying that if something was not done to reconcile the voter and immigration then it would result in the rivers of blood which as Pete tells us, was a phrase he never actually used but twhich has become synonomous with him.

It was a wake up call for government of the day, ensured that something was done, and ensured that those who were ill-at-ease with immigration issues were neutralised through the mainstream party system rather than going to the far right.

If not for Enoch Powell’s intervention, I wonder whether the far right National Front and then the BNP would hav had success much earlier in this ocuntry?

You’re not familiar with the concept of metaphor then Tim?
Apart from which he never used the phrase ‘rivers of blood’

Of course not

There have been tensions and some of what Powell said has come to fruition, but I was referring more to his specific point that there would be ‘rivers of blood’ – which of course there hasn’t been

It’s ironic in many ways how Powell has been portrayed as the unacceptable face of Toryism – because comments made by other MPs like Peter Griffiths ‘If you want a n***** for a neighbour, vote Liberal or Labour’ were far more inflammatory and deserved far greater condemnation than that waged at Powell

How so?

If the past 40 years have proved anything it’s surely that Enoch Powell was completely wrong.

There haven’t been rivers of bloods – despite the best efforts of the likes of the BNP, Muslims Agains Crusades, the EDL, Al-Muhajiroun and all these other scumbag organisations that attempt to stir up racial hatred – and the UK in general has fairly harmonial race relations

That’s why I don’t understand all these cretins who say Enoch Powell got it right

He didn’t – he got it wrong

David Mellor wasn’t especially associated with one-nation Toryism whilst in Parliament but he’s definitely from the moderate wing of the party whereas John Bowis, like Ellison, is a classic wet.

And not all Wandsworth councillors are radical right wingers – ex-East Surrey MP Peter Ainsworth probably being the best example of a moderate on board

I never thought of Greening as a wet, but Hemelig is right in citing the likes of Goodhart, Lait, Hunt, Sims, Neil and of course Ted Hreath and Cyril Townsend as one-nation representatives of the outer fringes of South East London

Of course one can always cite right wingers like James Brokenshire, Derek Conway, David Evernett and Eric Forth – arguably the most right wing Tory elected to Parliament since the war – but they are very much the exception as opposed to the rule

If I had the vote and it was Ellison v Hoey I’d certainly vote for the former but her more logocal plan would nbe to cointest the Clapham Common seat

I do think certain candidates in certain places can make a difference in certain areas. For example in Romford Andrew Rosindell is so right wing that he keeps the BNP vote down in that seat. I’m not so sure that the Tory majority would be so high there with an Ellison type Tory. Conversely sticking someone like Rosindell in Battersea would definately have an effect on the Tory vote there and would help Labour massively.